Freedom Center on Main: Where Wellness Begins
The Freedom Center’s next half century.
A 2022 grant of $550,000 from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services enabled the Freedom Center to purchase the building at 135 South Main Street.
With this transformational gift, the Freedom Center will be able to expand services, provide care for diverse populations in appropriate settings, and accommodate critical services for all who are in need of them. The location places the Freedom Center in the heart of downtown Mount Vernon where we are accessible to all for comprehensive care for addiction, mental health, prevention, and family support.
Impact on the Community
The demand for behavioral health services in Knox County is on an upward trajectory, but our capacity to keep pace is inadequate. Acquisition of the new site will enable the Freedom Center to hire more staff, expand the availability of quality behavioral healthcare and life-saving treatments for Knox County citizens, and increase the number of clients served. The expansion and more prominent location will make a clear difference in the quality of life for a substantial number of people, thereby contributing toward a more inclusive and accepting community. Now is the time to invest in the health and well-being of our community to ensure that we remain a place where families want to raise their children and know that they have the services they need right here in Knox County.
135 South Main Street Features
Expansion to the corner location in Downtown Mount Vernon will provide four distinct floors and enable the Freedom Center to create separate spaces for specialized treatment.
First floor: Entrance on West Gambier Street and a spacious welcoming lobby. Retail space will remain on the Main Street storefront entrance.
Second floor: Mental Health Suite and Women’s Counseling Suite
Third floor: Children and Adolescent Suite, Prevention Suite
Basement: large open space, future location for community space and expansion
The current Freedom Center house at 106 East Gambier Street will be repurposed for much needed residential and recovery housing and intensive treatment programs.
Fundraising Goals
The initial property acquisition was made possible through a grant from the State. As a part of that grant, a 1:1 match was required. Our thanks are extended to the Knox County Foundation for their generous grant of $100,000, to the Energy Cooperative Operation Found-Up Foundation for a grant of $10,000, and to the Mental Health and Recovery Board of Licking and Knox Counties to make acquisition of our new building possible.
Current Update
Since the 135 South Main Street property was acquired, a capital campaign goal of raising $2 million was set by the Freedom Center Board of Directors. To-date, we have reached our goal, but the project costs ended up being more than $2 million. The agency received grants, donations and pledges toward that goal, including a 1:1 capital campaign match of $300,000 in a grant from The Ariel Foundation.
Recent Donors
Jesse Lipson
Valerie J Price
Kellyn Caldwell
Ruth Ann Hendrickson
Eric and Kami Diehl
Jeffrey Bowman
Anonymous
Rachel Hoffman
Eric and Kami Diehl
Valerie Price
Pam Rose
Carol Emery
Anonymous
Kristina Caldwell
James Giles
Sonia Corrigan
Anonymous
To add your name to our list of generous capital campaign supporters, please contact Mindy Langdon at 740-397-2660 or MindyH@freedomctr.net, or you can donate here. If you have questions or would like more information about this important community development effort, please contact Afet Kilinc at 740-397-2660 or Afetk@freedomctr.net.